The '90s are a major cultural touchstone for people in their twenties and thirties today, and the decade's films are a big reason why. Many young adults grew up on '90s movies, and will still still often rank them among their favorite films. Most of the love is usually reserved for comedies like Clueless, epics like Titanic, or kids movies like The Lion King, but one genre that deserves more praise is the excellent murder mystery movies of the '90s.
Neo-noir was in in the '90s, and as a result, a number of timeless whodunits were unleashed in theaters. Some of these films remain classics to this day, with several being thought of as some of the best examples of the genre. Others have been mostly forgotten over the years, but are definitely deserving of another look. Another popular genre in the decade was the erotic thriller, where sex and murder mixed in a combination that people apparently couldn't get enough of.
I'm not going to lie, lots of these films were terrible, but a few managed to straddle the line between entertainment and smut and became the rare guilty pleasure that you don't feel too guilty about taking pleasure in. So take a look below at these 16 '90s murder mystery movies.
1
'Se7en'
This movie features someone killing people in the manner of the seven deadly sins — one of the most iconic '90s casts ever.
2
'The Usual Suspects'
Who is Keyser Soze? The answer is one of the greatest twists in movie history.
3
'Kiss The Girls'
Morgan Freeman investigated a lot of murders in the '90s.
4
'L.A. Confidential'
A baby-faced Russell Crowe is one of the cops unraveling a conspiracy in this '50s-set noir masterpiece.
5
'The Bone Collector'
There were lots of very bizarre serial killers in '90s movies, including this film's antagonist who takes bone souvenirs from his victims
6
'Manhattan Murder Mystery'
Comedies can also be murder mysteries, it says so right in the title.
8
'Presumed Innocent'
Harrison Ford couldn't have done it... could he?
9
'The Fugitive'
OK, Ford's definitely innocent this time.
11
'Double Jeopardy'
What if the murder victim isn't really dead? Now that's a mystery.
12
'Rising Sun'
Nowhere near as popular as Jurassic Park, but just as thrilling and also based on a Michael Crichton novel.
13
'Primal Fear'
A sleazy lawyer who's seen it all comes to believe his client, a murder suspect, is innocent... but is he just being played?
14
'The General’s Daughter'
The best murder mysteries are all part of a massive conspiracy.
15
'Fallen'
Who says murder mystery movies can't have a supernatural bent?
16
'Silence Of The Lambs'
Widely considered one of the greatest movies of all-time, its investigation will keep you on the edge of your seat.
